Leaked monitoring officer report reveals council approach to reorganisation legal challenge warrants section 5A report
Suffolk County Council’s monitoring officer has concluded that actions taken in connection with the authority’s legal challenge to local government reorganisation warrant a section 5A report, while opposition councillors have criticised the council for keeping his findings confidential.
Council repays more than £330,000 after social housing tenants overpaid rent for years
Mid Devon District Council has repaid more than £330,000 so far after mistakenly overcharging 1,200 social housing tenants and undercharging another 1,600 due to an error in the historic calculation of social rents.
Council hit with £6,000 fine after workplace stepladder accident
Wirral Council has been fined £6,000 after an employee suffered serious injuries when a stepladder collapsed beneath him while working on a council-operated farm.
Judge agrees to withdrawal of deprivation of liberty order for 15 year old despite opposition of guardian
The High Court has agreed an application by the London Borough of Brent to withdraw a deprivation of liberty order (DOL), even though the child’s guardian opposed this.
High Court refuses permission for challenge to decision not to take enforcement action against breaches of planning control
The High Court has refused an application for judicial review of West Oxfordshire District Council’s decision not to become embroiled in a neighbour dispute.
Medway seeks urgent ministerial meeting over £26.4m adult social care overspend
Medway Council has requested an urgent meeting with ministers after warning that “structural funding constraints” are to blame for a massive overspend in its adult social care services budget.
Parish council fails in legal challenge over approval for sand and gravel extraction at former airfield
Hamble Parish Council has seen all its grounds for judicial review rejected by the High Court in a case concerning a planning inspector’s decision to allow an appeal to permit aggregates extraction.
High Court rejects challenge to council declining to determine planning application despite change in national Green Belt policy
A council may decline to determine a planning application even when policy changes have occurred that could affect it, the High Court has decided in a judicial review case.
London borough pens parking agreement with e-bike firms
Southwark Council has secured an agreement with three leading hire bike operators that will see bikes subject to stricter parking rules.
Upper Tribunal sets aside striking out of appeal against selective licensing financial penalty
The First-Tier Property Chamber ignored several relevant considerations in a case concerning a penalty imposed on a landlord by the London Borough of Waltham Forest, and its decision must be set aside.
High Court judge rejects legal challenge over £295k Community Infrastructure Levy demand
A property firm has lost a judicial review against Westminster City Council on liability for the community infrastructure levy (CIL) on a building that was split in two.
Mother wins appeal over ‘pool finding’ in relation to bruising on her son
The Court of Appeal (Civil Division) has found that a mother should not have been found potentially responsible for injuries inflicted on a young child - anonymised as ‘Alfie’ - when the blame more likely lay with her former partner.
Upper Tribunal issues substituted banning order in case involving 104-year-old landlord
The First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) improperly exercised its discretion in a case concerning a banning order for a landlord aged 104.
Judicial review over care provision for 15-year-old dismissed
The High Court has refused permission for a judicial review brought on behalf of a 15-year-old life-limited child over the health and social care arrangements put in place following the closure of a specialist hospice.
Burnham expresses commitment to local government reorganisation
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has voiced his commitment to local government reorganisation, describing the transition as a "nettle that's got to be grasped" and saying the changes would help drive further devolution.
ACRO Criminal Records Office reprimanded by information watchdog over cyber security failings
Cyber security failings at ACRO Criminal Records Office left the personal information of up to ten thousand people, including some individuals’ sensitive data, potentially exposed.
Users who bring Meta glasses into courts or tribunals will have them confiscated on entry: HMCTS
HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has made clear that Meta glasses will be confiscated from anyone entering its judicial buildings due to privacy concerns.
Defendant given suspended sentence after bringing caravans onto land in breach of planning injunction
Maidstone Borough Council has secured a suspended sentence against a man who repeatedly ignored court orders over an unauthorised development.
Vape shops to require planning permission under Government plans to boost high streets
Plans to require planning permission for vape shops are among a raft of newly-announced reforms aimed at re-invigorating high streets.
More than 500 staff launch equal pay claim at unitary council
Kirklees Council has been hit with equal pay claims brought by more than 500 staff members, the GMB union has said.
LawCare says caller data could have been stolen in cyber attack
A charity that runs a helpline for lawyers has warned that callers' information may have been taken as part of a recent cyber-attack.
High Court quashes permanent exclusion of disabled child, finding decision letter to be “lacking in reasons and analysis”
The High Court has quashed the permanent exclusion of a disabled child, finding that the Governors' Disciplinary Panel failed to carry out the proportionate assessment required by law before deciding that permanent exclusion was justified.
Legal challenge to second Carmarthenshire school closure rejected by High Court
The High Court has refused permission on all grounds for a legal challenge against a second rural primary school closure in Carmarthenshire.
More than half of councillors report rise in abuse and intimidation, LGA finds
Abuse and intimidation remain widespread in public life and appear to be worsening, research from the Local Government Association (LGA) survey has found.
District members block decision to allocate £400k in funding for local government reorganisation
Councillors at Torridge District Council have refused to set aside £400,000 in funding for local government reorganisation costs, after members said the Government should foot the bill.
Council secures prosecution over dog waste
South Gloucestershire Council has successfully prosecuted a dog owner who failed to clean up his pet’s waste on multiple occasions.
Bristol City Council releases audit report on diversity programme contracts after ICO rejects chilling effect arguments
The Information Commissioner has ordered Bristol City Council to disclose an internal audit report into Stepping Up, a Community Interest Company, after finding that the council's reliance on section 36 of the Freedom of Information Act was based on a qualified person's opinion that was too generic…
Tees Valley Combined names eight firms to legal services framework
Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) has appointed eight law firms to a group-wide legal services framework.
County backs potential legal challenge over reorganisation
Leicestershire County Council is poised to launch a legal challenge against local government reorganisation after members backed a motion to consider a claim once it receives legal advice.
Combined authority announces intention to procure £350m legal services framework for regeneration, housing and other major projects
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has issued a pipeline notice for a proposed multi-supplier legal services framework for the provision of specialist legal advice and support in relation to regeneration, infrastructure, place-making, housing, transport, economic development and…
City council withdraws application to strike out legal challenge to extension of parking charge hours
Liverpool City Council has withdrawn its application to strike out a legal challenge over parking charges, suggesting that the claimant has since corrected the “procedural errors” that initially formed the basis of the application.
High Court rejects challenge to lawfulness of grant of planning permission claimed to be 'inconsistent' with previous decisions
A High Court challenge that argued Nottingham City Council's decision to grant permission for a student accommodation scheme was "inconsistent" with its previous decision to refuse a separate application on a site nearby has been dismissed.
Claimant wins legal challenge over support after council decided to accommodate her under section 17 Children Act 1989 rather than section 20
The High Court has allowed a judicial review claim brought by a young woman over whether the defendant local authority was required to provide her with care-leaver support.
Upper Tribunal rules on ‘ordinary residence’ in context of special educational needs
The Upper Tribunal has held that a child or young person's 'ordinary residence' for the purposes of the Children and Families Act (CFA) 2014 may be different to their 'ordinary residence' for the purposes of the social care functions of the local authority.
Watchdog highlights shortcomings in equality impact assessments by Welsh councils
Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) carried out by Welsh councils often lacked robust evidence, clear analysis of the impact on different groups, and meaningful engagement with those affected, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned in a report that it said offers lessons for…
District council faces legal challenge over approval of intensive poultry unit expansion
Campaigners have brought a judicial review challenge against Braintree District Council over a decision to approve the expansion of an intensive poultry unit (IPU), amid claims the approval was given without sufficient environmental and animal welfare scrutiny.
Change to definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026 to see more people covered by regime
From 1 September, the current rule regarding the supervision of paid staff and volunteers carrying out specific activities with children will be removed from the legal definition, the Government has announced.
Campaigners to appeal rejection of legal challenge over grant of planning permission for Chinese embassy
Campaigners have announced plans to appeal the Divisional Court’s refusal of their claim for judicial review of the UK government’s decision to grant planning permission for the redevelopment of the former site of the Royal Mint into a new Chinese embassy.
Ombudsman finds “failures of oversight” by city council in “shocking” adult social care case
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has warned that councils “cannot outsource their safeguarding duty”, after it investigated a case with “abysmal failures” in relation to the care of an elderly Portsmouth woman.
City council names Bevan Brittan to £1.8m legal services contract advising on PFI expiry
Nottingham City Council has appointed law firm Bevan Brittan to a £1.8m contract to provide legal advice on PFI expiry.
London borough to become interested party in legal challenge over 850-home Peckham redevelopment refusal
Southwark Council is to become an interested party in a legal challenge brought over the Planning Inspectorate's decision to refuse permission for an 850-home redevelopment of the Aylesham Centre of Peckham.
High Court dismisses public sector equality duty claim against London borough
A woman who removed all the carpets in home has failed in a judicial review brought against the London Borough of Bexley over whether it breached the Public Sector Equality Duty under s.149 Equality Act 2010 concerning her housing.
Developer wins High Court statutory review challenge over highways impacts
A developer has overturned a planning inspector’s rejection of its project after convincing the High Court that its impact on highways could be successfully mitigated.
Council to quash salmon farm permission over lack of environmental impact assessment
Wiltshire Council has reportedly agreed to quash its decision to green light an inland salmon farm after being faced with a judicial review challenge over its failure to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Subcontractor fails in £480k claim against council over school extension project
A civil engineering contractor cannot claim against Vale of Glamorgan Council as - while it was a supplier to a collapsed contractor - it lacked the formal status of ‘named supplier’ under the relevant contract.
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Certified Data Protection Officer Training (CDPO) - The Training Centre
17-08-2026 9:00 am
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Understanding GDPR Accountability and Conducting Data Protection Audits - Act Now
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AI and Information Governance: Bridging Innovation and Compliance - Act Now
20-08-2026 10:00 am
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European Data Protection & Privacy Programme Management - DPO Ready - The Training Centre
24-08-2026
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Awaab’s Law Phase 2: Preparing for Implementation - Devonshires 
How to Handle a Subject Access Request - Act Now 
Certificate in Planning Enforcement (CPE) Module 4 & Module 2 - Ivy Legal 
Free Expert Briefing: Antisemitism as a Safeguarding Concern - 4-5 Grays Inn Square
01-09-2026
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Minerals webinar series - Part 3: Environmental assessment - Landmark Chambers
07-09-2026
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Construction Law Update - Hugh James 
Training: BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection - Blake Morgan 